Myster
by capm
Summary: A new villian shows up to bedevil the spies! And he has plans for the US economy too! Can the gals stop and apprehend him?
1. Chapter 1 Rest and Relaxation

**Chapter 1 – Rest and Relaxation**

The girls have just finished 'Finals Weeks' for the current quarter at Beverly Hills High, and are walking home from school.

"What a week!" exclaims Alex.

"I dread these every quarter!" says Clover.

"Yes, but look at the bright side!" says Sam with a smile.

"There's a bright side?" says Alex in disbelief, as she stops walking, and stares at Sam.

"Sure! We've taken our last exam and it's Wednesday! We're off the rest of the week!" says Sam.

"No homework or school for four consecutive days! YEAH!" responds Alex with exuberance. Alex rejoins the girls walking.

"So what do we do tomorrow, guys?" asks Sam as the gals continue walking home.

"Well, there's always the Mall!" says Alex.

"Because of these stupid finals, we haven't been to the Mall in two weeks!" Clover says.

"That's like an ETERNITY!" chimes in Alex.

"Sounds like a plan! Now, what do we do tonight?" asks Sam.

"I'm all for going to that new teen dance club, the Totally Hot!" suggests Clover.

"That sounds like fun!" says Sam.

"It would be a great way to relieve the stress from these tests! Let's do it!" agrees Alex.

"How about leaving between 7 and 7:30?"asks Clover.

"Sound fine!" comments Alex happily.

"Great!" says Sam. All three girls go to their respective rooms to get ready for their night of 'clubbing'.

Clover is the first one ready and is waiting downstairs for Alex and Sam - it's 6:45PM. Clover is wearing a backless form fitting red top-slacks combination, with her dancing red boots on. The top features a spaghetti neck strap, and teardrop front. She also has a striking red oblong hair clip on the left side of her 'do.

Alex comes downstairs next. Alex is wearing her white flowing skirt that goes just below her knee, with her orange sleeveless top. She has on white dancing boots to match the skirt, and a pretty black butterfly hair clip, with white highlights,on the right side of her hair.

"Alex! That's a cute outfit!" responds Clover as they wait for Sam.

"Thanks Clover! Yours is rad too!" responds Alex.

Sam soon joins her housemates. Sam is wearing her flowing mauve skirt that goes just below her knee, with her sky blue long sleeve blouse, and matching mauve dancing boots. Her hair is done up in two long braided thick pigtails.

"Yougals look hot tonight!" says Sam as the gals head toward Clover's car and get in.

"You do too!" responds Alex.

"I'll say, Sam! It must have taken forever to do your hair!" comments Clover as she starts to drive off.

"Not really! I've learned some shortcuts, since I do have long hair!" comments Sam happily.

Soon the gals arrive at the Totally Hot! . The place is already rocking! The gals work their way to an open table and order some lattes. It doesn't take long before all three have been asked to dance by some hot guys. They spend the evening, until midnight, dancing the night away!


	2. Chapter 2 Funny Money

**Chapter Two – Funny Money**

It's Thursday, and Mall time! The gals have just arrived at the Mall.

"I don't believe it!" cries Clover in jubilation.

"YEAH!" responds Alex concurrently.

"The Mall is having a 20 percent off sale!" responds a very happy Sam.

The gals excitedly walk toward their favorite latte machine. "Where should we start, ladies? Third floor and work our way down, or first floor and work our way up?" asks Clover as she gets her latte. Sam and Alex already have theirs.

"Definitely third floor and work our way down! That way we have a shorter distance to carry our stuffffFFFFF….", says Sam as the escalator they are riding suddenly opens up, her voice trailing off. They are being WOOHP'd!

"…After we see what Jerry wants!" says Alex among their surprised squeals.

"Great! A 20 percent off sale at the Mall, and we have to go on a stupid WOOHP mission!" says Clover as the gals land haphazardly on thesofa in Jerry's office- their lattes spilled somewhere in the WOOHP tunnel, and finally ended up (surprise!) in a WOOHP trash can.

"Jerry!"

"Greetings, ladies! So glad you could step in – get it? Escalator? Step?" says Jerry with a smile.

The gals groan. "We get it, Jerry!" says Sam.

"Jerry, this is REALLY bad timing for a WOOHP mission!" starts Clover.

"I thought the timing would be ideal! No school or homework….", says Jerry.

"But Jerry," exclaims Clover, "there's a 20 percentoff sale at the Mall….."

"Hmmm. Yes. Now for your mission. Someone is creating counterfeit bills and passing them in New York and Los Angeles," says Jerry.

"That could be serious!" says Sam.

"Indeed," replies Jerry. "The counterfeiter's bills are so close to the real bills, that the only way to tell them apart is that the counterfeit bill ink's smear when wet."

"But what about the special paper, color shifting ink and hologram the US Mint uses, Jerry? They can't reproduce those!"

"Well, Sam the counterfeiter has been able to somehow secure a stock of the special paper, color shifting ink and hologram making equipment!"

"What denominations are they counterfeiting?" asks Alex.

"Glad you asked, Alex! 10's, 20's, 50's and 100's! The passers of this phony money also make sure that they use the bills where they would be commonplace, such as jewelry stores, electronic stores, food stores, and media purchase stores such as movie, electronic game and CD stores."

"Any idea how much has been distributed?" asks Clover.

"So far it appears to be approximately $1M in each city!" responds Jerry.

"If they expand their operation, they could flood the economy with these phony bills, cause rampant inflation, and destroy our economy!" says Sam with alarm.

"Precisely, Sam! That's why you girls have to find the perpetrators and stop them! The entire USA economy hangs in the balance!"

"Ok, Jerry! Load us up!" says Alex.

"For this mission, you'll be using K.I.R.T.T. for your land travel, and your jet/copter for air travel. You'll also have bungee belts; drill-jet-suction go-go boots; laser lipsticks; x-ray m-ray combo contacts; analyzer sunglasses; T.H.I.R.D., hair homing barrettes; and lockpicks."

"Ok, Jerry! We'll check LA first!" says Sam.

"Fine, Sam! Check at the California Federal Reserve Bank first. Edwin Pecunia will be your contact! Now tata!!!" And the gals are off.


	3. Chapter 3 Good Copy!

**Chapter 3 – Good Copy!**

Soon the gals are in the office of Edwin Pecunia, Director of the California Federal Reserve Bank.

"So, Mr. Pecunia, you have some of these counterfeit bills here?" asks Sam.

"Yes, Sam. Take a look." Edwin provides the gals with a phony $100 bill. The gals check for the special thread in the weave of the paper to note the denomination, check for the hologram, which is present, and check for the color shifting ink, which does shift.

"How can you tell these are counterfeit?" asks a puzzled Alex.

"Wet your fingers, Alex, and brush a corner of the bill", Edwin responds. Alex does, and the ink smears a little.

"That is the only way to tell!"

"But Mr. Pecunia, how could they get a hold of the special paper used?" asks Clover.

"Clover, we don't know. The US Mints in Denver and Philadelphia print the bills. All we do is distribute them. But I do know that they only use one supplier of the paper, for security purposes."

"Then we'd better check that supplier! Do you know who the supplier is, Mr. Pecunia?" asks Sam.

"The Specialty Paper Company, located in Fargo, North Dakota."

"Ok, gals! It looks like we're going to Fargo," says Sam.

"Fargo? From where?" asks Alex.

"Don't start, Alex!!!" says Clover. Alex shoots a glance at Clover and responds "Hmm!"

The gals leave K.I.R.T.T. at WOOHP and load their voice cycles on their jet/copter before they leave for Fargo. They then cycle to the Specialty Paper Company to meet with the Plant Manager, Sven Oldrikson.

"Mr. Oldrikson, we are investigating the potential theft of the special paper used to print US currency on. We understand you are the sole source supplier," says Sam.

"Ya! That's true!" replies Sven.

"How often do you inventory this special paper?" asks Alex.

"Ve don't! Ve don't make any until ve receive an order from the Mint. Then ve only make enough to fill the order!"

"So there is no stock on hand, per se?" ask Clover.

"That is correct, young lady! It is a security feature, so that none of the paper can be stolen!"

"Do you have an order now we can watch being processed?" asks Sam.

"Ya, ve do. But you vill haf to vatch from the security cell!"

With that Sven takes the girls to the security cell. It is a room with bulletproof glass for the upper section of four walls. There are 10 armed guards stationed within the cell as well as outside the cell at all times during the process. The guards are wearing gas masks to prevent from being overcome with any kind of gas. They are also wearing 100 percent bulletproof clothing.

The gals watch as the special thread gets weaved into the paper, and watch as the paper gets cut into sheets. The order is for 1,000 sheets. The machine automatically does the weaving, the cutting and the counting. No human intervention occurs until the paper is bound for shipment. They return to Sven's office.

"It sure looks like there isn't any way to get the paper here," says Sam.

"Ya, and the number of sheets, vith the seal number on the truck are transmitted to the US Mint automatically by the machine. In this case, it is going to the Denver Mint. If the seal numbers don't match, the FBI is called in!"

"Has that ever occurred?" asks Alex.

"Not in the 5 years I have been on the yob! I don't think the company has ever had mismatched seals!"

"Thanks, Mr. Oldrikson!" says Clover, and the gals leave.

The gals discuss this information as they head to New York in their jet/copter.

"Where could the counterfeiter be getting the paper? Human intervention doesn't occur until after the paper is made and bundled at Specialty Paper," ask Clover.

"With the seal system and automatic notification, there is no way for paper to disappear enroute, either!" exclaims Alex.

"But the counterfeiter has to be getting the paper from somewhere! We'll need to check the two US Mint printing offices after we check out New York! Did you note the seal number on that shipment to the Denver Mint, Alex?"

"Sure did, Sammy! We can check it when we go to Denver. They should have received the paper by the time we get there!"

The gals go to the New York Federal Reserve Bank to investigate. They end up with the same information as they did from the California branch: bills so close to the real thing, with only the inks smudging slightly if brushed when wet.

"While we're here on the East Coast, let's check the Philadelphia Mint," says Sam.

"Good idea, Sam! Let's call Jerry so he can get us clearance!" says Clover. Clover then calls Jerry who quickly gets the gals full access clearance to the Philadelphia Mint and the Denver Mint.


	4. Chapter 4 The Mints

**Chapter 4 – The Mints**

The gals fly down to Philadelphia and cycle over to the US Mint. They are taken to the office of the Director, Myra Stendt.

"What can I do for you?" Myra asks after everyone is introduced.

"Ms. Stendt, we are investigating the counterfeit bills in circulation. We noticed that they are printed on the same paper as regular currency. We we're wondering if you have any of that special paper missing?" asks Sam.

"As I'm sure you've guessed, we keep a tight control on the paper we print money on. It is inventoried three times a day: Once in the morning, once in the evening, and then a random check at any time of the day or night. In fact, we are about to do a random check; would you like to observe?"

"Yes, please!"

With that the gals accompany Myra to the vault. The paper inventory is kept in a locked vault that requires two keys and passwords from two different people to enter. Myra will provide one key and password, and Darryl, a section head will provide the other. They are also accompanied by a GAO auditor, who observes the count, records it, and all three sign off on it. They inventory 5,000 sheets of unopened special paper. There are no unopened packages of special paper.

"How many people have keys and passwords for access?" asks Clover.

"Five in total. Our four section heads and myself", answers Myra, as she signs off on the count.

"What is the procedure if a package of paper is found open?" asks Alex.

"Those taking inventory must hand count each sheet, and record the amount."

"Does that happen often?" asks Sam.

"No. We've only used less than a package once in the last eight years!"

The girls thank Myra and leave the Mint. They board their jet/copter and fly to Denver to check the Mint there.

"There doesn't seem to be a way to steal paper from that Mint!" exclaims Alex.

"Our last lead is the Denver Mint!" says Sam.

The gals land in Denver and travel by cycle to the US Mint. They want to note the receiving procedure for the special paper, which should arrive today. They are in the office of the Director Harry Elsworth.

"Mr. Elsworth, what is your procedure for receiving special paper from the Specialty Paper Company?" asks Sam, after introductions.

"Well, why don't we watch it in action. We just received a shipment by truck and have held up receiving it until you three arrived!"

So the four go to the receiving dock. There are four armed guards there with a section head, Phyllis, a GAO auditor, Kyle and a worker, Chad waiting for them. As soon as they arrive, the metal seal is cut from the truck trailer by Chad and given to Phyllis. She checks it against the seal number provided by Specialty Paper. Alex also quietly checks it against the seal number she noted. They agree. The trailer is then opened and the delivery counted. Again the quantity is checked against the quantity provided by Specialty Paper. On verification by Phyllis and Kyle, and quietly by Alex, Chad picks up the shipment by hand tow motor and takes it to the locked vault. Once again two keys and passwords are required to open the door. Chad puts the pallet in the vault, where all of the paper is now inventoried. The total number is noted and bought off by Phyllis, Harry and Kyle. The safe is then secured.

"Thanks, Mr. Elsworth!" says Alex, as the gals leave.

The gals drive their cycles back to their jet/copter and set the autopilot for home. They are confused and frustrated.

"I don't get it! It's virtually impossible to steal any of that special paper from the US Mints, from Specialty Paper, or from the truck transporting it. How does the counterfeiter do it?" asks Sam.

"Unless everyone in the receiving channel is in on it, there is no way!" says Alex.

"But we can dismiss that theory! I had that same hunch and asked Jerry to run all the people we have talked to or saw, through the WOOHP computers. They are all clean as a whistle! Just some parking and speeding tickets! Nothing else!" says Clover.

"We have to be missing something, but what?" asks a befuddled Sam.

Back at WOOHP, the girls report to Jerry what they have found out.

"…so Jerry, we really didn't find out anything that can help!" says Sam.

"We know the supplier and the Mints have tight controls and security, but that's all!" says Clover.

"I see… Well ladies, you may as well go back home until we can dig up some fresh leads," says a sad Jerry.

It's Friday, and the girls are at the Mall, but their mind isn't on shopping, as they sip their lattes.

"What are we missing, gals?" asks Sam.

"Unless the machines spirit away the paper!" says Alex wistfully.

All of the sudden, Sam's face lights up. "Alex! You're a genius!!"

"I am? I mean of course I am. How am I a genius?"

"Think about it! Everything is mechanized so that human intervention is eliminated! What if someone tampered with the machines themselves so that the machines steal the paper?" replies Sam.

"That might work, Sam! But where would that occur?" asks Clover.

"It would have to occur at the US Mints, because the paper counts wouldn't agree to those shipped!"

"But how would you get the paper out? Security there is tighter than WOOHP!" says Alex.

Sam is now deflated! She's right! There's no way to get the paper out of the Mint!

"I have an idea," says Clover. "Why don't we follow the paper from creation through the process of becoming money? We can use our analyzer sunglasses and our contacts!"

"That looks like all we have, so let's do it!" says Sam.


	5. Chapter 5 Paper Trail

**Chapter 5 – Paper Trail**

The girls call Jerry.

"Jerry! Please WOOHP us! We have an idea!" says Sam on her compowder.

Jerry complies, as the table they are sitting at becomes the WOOHP access tunnel. This one is surprisingly smooth as all three gals end up sitting on the edge of the sofa, with their legs crossed.

"Very impressive, ladies!"

"That one was too easy Jerry!" replies Sam.

Clover then goes on to explain her idea to Jerry.

"That sounds like an excellent idea! I would recommend you perform your surveillance sight unseen," says an impressed Jerry.

"We will, Jerry! We'll take our jet/copter and cycles, plus the gadgets you've already provided!" says Sam.

"Very well, ladies! Good luck!" Jerry sends them on their way.

Jerry has checked Specialty Paper's recent orders and has noted that they have received an order for 10,000 sheets of the special paper from the Philadelphia Mint. He has also checked on the production schedule, and this item is scheduled for production on second shift of the current day.

The gals fly to Fargo, and deploy their cycles. They arrive at the gate outside of the plant.

"Ok, gals! Let's sneak into the yard and bungee to the top of the production facility," says Sam.

The gals do. Then Alex says, "Let me watch the production with the analyzer sunglasses and my contacts." Alex is intently watching the production process, while Clover and Sam use their contacts to watch all the workers.

Just as Sven told them earlier, everything is handled by the machine. All of the sudden Alex says, "Whoa! What's that?" and she attaches her T.H.I.R.D. to her sunglasses.

"What do you see, Alex?" asks Clover.

"I thought I saw one sheet of paper go completely around the packing roller and disappear! ……There goes another one!"

"Where are they going?" asks Sam.

"I can't see from here! Why don't one of you go over to the other side of the roof and check it with your contacts?" suggests Alex.

Sam says, "I'll go!" and she makes her way over to the opposite side of the roof. "Tell me when you see a sheet disappear, Alex!"

"Ok, Sammy!……..There goes one!"

"I see it! It appears to drop below the roller! There must be a collection box there, or else the machine would be jamming!"

Soon the 10,000 sheet order is complete. The machine generates the quantity and the seal, to seal the truck.

"We'll have to investigate that roller later! Let's follow the shipment!" says Sam.

"Wait! Let me investigate the roller! You and Clover follow the shipment! We don't want to lose any leads!" says Alex.

"Good idea, Alex! Ok, Clover let's get to our cycles! I planted a homing barrette on the pallet!" says Sam.

"Right with you, Sam! Alex! Be careful, ok?" cautions Clover.

"I'll be fine Clover!" responds Alex.

Sam and Clover quickly bungee down from the roof and employ their jet go-go boots to get to their cycles quickly. They'll follow the truck, but at a distance, so as not to raise suspicion.

Meanwhile Alex has quietly sneaked into the Specialty Paper Company manufacturing facility. She sneaks over to the machine, puts in her contacts and checks the roller. She sees that underneath the floor the paper drops down through a slit into a tunnel of some sort. She locks in the GPS coordinates on her compowder. She will tunnel to those coordinates from outside the building.

As Alex stands to leave, a guard sees her! "INTRUDER! CODE RED! CODE RED!"

Alex deploys her bungee belt and swings to the ceiling! She then swings around a corner to a dark area of the roof and deploys her suction go-go boots and folds herself into a ball. The guards run right under her without seeing her. She waits a few minutes until the coast is clear and she stealthily walks across the ceiling out of the plant. The guards are still looking for her! She deploys her jet go-go boots and starts to fly away from the plant.

"THERE SHE IS!" shouts a guard as he and four others start shooting at Alex! She keeps zigzagging as she flies, and is soon out of range of the guards. She slowly lands behind a rock formation and looks around. Everything is clear! She breathes a sigh of relief, and deploys her drill go-go boots to tunnel her down to tunnel just below the roller.


	6. Chapter 6 In Mint Condition

**Chapter 6 – In Mint Condition**

In the mean time, Clover and Sam follow the paper delivery truck, as it winds it's way to the airport. There the trailer is loaded on a large transport plane. Luckily this is the same airport the gals landed their jet/copter. They quickly load their cycles on their jet/copter and follow the transport.

While enroute, Clover constantly monitors the paper with her contacts, while Sam flies the jet/copter.

Soon the transport lands at the Philadelphia International Airport. The gals land their jet/copter just out of sight and re-deploy their cycles. Within the hour, a US Mint truck tractor comes to claim the delivery. The gals follow the semi.

The truck takes a direct route to the US Mint and goes to the receiving dock. The gals park their cycles out of sight and deploy their jet go-go boots to take them just above the dock, on the roof. They use their contacts to witness the same receiving procedure that was used when they talked to the Mint personnel. Soon the paper is secured in the vault.

"Well, everything went according to procedure here!" says Clover.

"Yes, but they received the wrong quantity! The machine sent them the wrong quantity and they received the wrong quantity, remember? Those papers disappeared around that roller!" says Sam.

"But they should catch that when they print, right?" says Clover.

"That's true. The printing machine also does a count!" says Sam, as she calls Jerry.

"Jerry?"

"Yes, Sam. How's the mission going?"

"We're not really sure, Jerry. It appears that the Mint is being shorted of the special paper used to print money on, by Specialty Paper. What we need to know is when the Philadelphia Mint will print some new money. Then we can check."

"Well, Sam. According to their confidential schedule, they should be printing $100 bills on the third shift today!"

"Ok, thanks Jerry! We'll keep in touch," and Sam hangs up.

"The third shift starts in about one hour, Clover. So we better stick around."

"Ok, Sam. Should we check up on Alex?"

"Good idea!" and Sam dials up Alex.

"Alex here."

"How's it going, girlfriend?" asks Sam.

"Well, not too bad, after I evaded getting shot!"

"WHAT?!?" exclaim Sam and Clover together.

"The guards spotted me when I was tracing the paper, and started shooting! Luckily I was able to outdistance their range with my jet go-go boots!"

"So you're ok?" asks a concerned Clover.

"Fine, girlfriends! I'm now in the process of drilling to the point below that roller. There is a slit in the floor just below it and the paper disappears into the slit. I have the GPS coordinates of the roller on my compowder and I'm drilling towards it to find out what happens to the paper. How about you guys? Any luck?" responds Alex.

"Well, the delivery went exactly as the procedure was explained to us. But the Specialty Paper computer sent the receiving quantity as 10,000 sheets, and that's the quantity they received. But we know that some sheets are missing! That should be caught when they print the money on third shift. That's what we're waiting for," says Sam.

"Well, good luck! After I trace the paper, I'll get back in touch!"

"Ok, Alex!" says Sam.

"Good luck to you, too!" says Clover, and the gals hang up.

Soon the third shift is getting the special paper from the vault to print the $100 bills. Sam and Clover watch intently.

"According to the inventory, how many sheets are in this bundle, Joe?" asks one mint employee.

"It says '9,800' here! Why don't they buy round lots, like 10,000 sheets?" responds Joe.

"I don't know! Maybe it's a security thing! Well, let's get started!"

The girls are astonished! They SAW the receiving people input 10,000 sheets into the computer as being received on second shift. They also now witness on the computer screen the 9,800 sheets in inventory. Where did the 200 sheets go?

"I'm going to go down and check out that computer, Clover! You stay here and watch the printing."

"Right, Sam. I'll make sure they print 9,800 sheets!"

Sam walks over to the air vents exhaust and lasers open the vent. She quietly descends in the vent to where she can go throughout the Mint. Soon she is in the computer room. She calls up the inventory for the $100 special paper. Strange. It only shows the receipt of 9,800 sheets on second shift, and an order of 9,800 sheets! But she and Clover saw the Receiving personnel clearly input 10,000 sheets, against an order of 10,000 sheets! When did it get changed?

Sam continues checking back in the computer records, but the system now shows an order, receipt, and now a use of 9,800 sheets! No entry was made of the 200 missing sheets! The discrepancy would have to be caught by Specialty Paper when they bill the US Mint for 10,000 sheets, and the Mint only received 9,800. Sam quietly goes back through the air vent to Clover on the roof.

"This is weird! The computer records show an order of 9,800 sheets and a receipt of 9,800 sheets! No record exists of the missing 200 sheets!" Sam says to Clover.

Clover responds, "They printed 9,800 sheets of $100 bills, so the paper was accounted for. But won't Specialty Paper be billing the Mint for 10,000 sheets?"

"They should! But we'd better check with Jerry!

"Jerry?"

"Yes, ladies. Update?"

"Jerry, somehow the computer records at the Mint have been altered to show 200 less sheets of special paper received than shipped!"

"The Mint should notice the discrepancy when they are billed!"

"That's what we figured, Jerry. But could you check Specialty Paper's computer to see what quantity they shipped and billed?"

"Let me see…..that's odd. On Specialty Paper's books, it shows that they shipped 9,800 sheets against an order of 9,800 sheets. They will bill for 9,800 sheets!"

"But how is that possible, Jerry? We SAW them make 10,000 sheets! The machine counted 10,000 sheets and that's what it sent to the Specialty Paper and US Mint computers! That's also what the shipping truckline had on their manifest!"

Jerry runs a few more things on his laptop. "That may be true, Sam. But there is only a record for 9,800 sheets on the computer of the truckline as well."

"I'm confused, Jerry! How can the quantities in all three computers be altered?"

"I don't know, Sam! By the way, where's Alex?"

"She's following up on a lead for the missing paper back in Fargo!"

"Maybe you girls should join her. She may need your help."

"Right, Jerry. We'll be in touch!" and Sam hangs up.

"Ok, Clover! Let's get to our jet/copter and get back to Fargo!"

Clover responds playfully, "Fargo? From where?"

Sam responds, "Not you too! Just get over to the jet/copter!"


	7. Chapter 7 Mole

**Chapter 7 – Mole**

Alex has drilled toward the GPS coordinates below the roller on the paper machine. Soon she finds herself in a tunnel. She decides to deploy her suction cup go-go boots and walk on the ceiling toward the GPS coordinates. She doesn't realize that her presence is noted by a security camera. She is constantly being monitored!

Alex continues to the GPS coordinates. She sees the slit in the tunnel roof, and she sees a collection bin on a pallet. She quietly walks down to the floor and goes over to the bin and checks it. There are sheets in there for making $100 bills. Probably all 200 missing sheets! She needs to contact the gals.

But before she can, a guard grabs her arms and lifts her off of her feet! "HEY! LET GO!" Alex demands.

"Not likely, missy! Carlos, handcuff this one and leg cuff her too! We'll put her into a holding cell and tell Myster we have an uninvited guest!"

"Right, Zeb!" Alex is secured in cuffs and unceremoniously deposited into a small room with a door. The guards were unaware of the gadgets Alex has with her, so she deploys her lockpick and unlocks her cuffs. She then lockpicks the lock on the door and cautiously exits. Unfortunately, once again, her movement is caught by a security camera. She didn't realize that her little room was also constantly monitored by security camera. Her entire escape has been observed!

"So! Our 'guest' is very resourceful! I want to see what she does next, before 'sicing' my security guards on her again!" comments a mysterious voice.

Alex finds a dark spot in the tunnel and calls Clover and Sam.

"Guys?"

"Alex! Are you all right?" asks Sam.

"Guys, Specialty Paper is sitting on top of a number of tunnels! The special paper is collected in one tunnel! I'm going to see if I can find out where it goes! I've already been captured once! HEY…."

Alex's compowder goes dead.

"ALEX? ALEX! ANSWER ME, ALEX!" cries Sam.

"What happened?" asks a startled Clover.

"I lost contact with Alex! We've got to get to her fast!"

"Did you get her GPS coordinates?"

"Luckily I was connected long enough to get a reading! I'm getting no signal now!"

"Ok, Sam. Let's go!"

Sam and Clover are on the way, but Alex has been captured again, her compowder smashed into pieces. This time she is searched, and all her gadgets are seemingly removed along with her backpack. The guards leave her with her lipstick. How can that hurt them, they think. She is taken to see 'Myster'.

"Myster wants to talk to you!" says a guard, as he drives a newly hand and leg cuffed Alex down a tunnel.

"Mister who?", asks Alex.

"You'll find out soon enough!" the guard says, as he brings the electric tram to a stop. He roughly picks up Alex and carries her over his shoulder into a room. "HEY!" Alex protests, to no avail.

The guard drops Alex on the floor of a study of some sort, and leaves. Alex looks around. There are bookcases filled with books on three walls. There is a large floor globe over to her left and right in front of her is a large oak desk. Behind the desk is an executive chair turned away from her, but she can see the arm of a man on the armrest. He is wearing a dark brown sport coat over a white dress shirt. His cufflink has a large "M" on it.

Without turning to face her, the man speaks. "So, why have you invaded my operation?"

"Who are you?" asks Alex.

"Answer my question, please!" demands the man.

"I'm not talking to any jerk unless I know who I'm talking to!"

"Very well, Alex!" Alex is surprised he knows her name. "I am called Myster!"

"Mister what?"

"Just Myster, spelled M-Y-S-T-E-R! Now that we have been introduced, answer my question! Why have you invaded my operation?"

Alex figures she'll try a bluff. He doesn't know why she really is here. "I just stumbled on the tunnel! I'm a spelunker from around these parts!"

"Really?" says Myster sarcastically. "Do all spelunkers have lockpicks and compacts that function as communicators? I think not! You're a SPY! I'll have to dispose of you, and your two friends, when they arrive! But you have a little more time to live! I'll dispose of all three of you at the same time!"

With that, Myster summons a guard, who enters the room and puts Alex over his shoulder. "PUT ME DOWN, YOU JERK!" Alex protests to no avail. He takes her to another cell, blindfolds and gags her, and locks her in.

Alex is really worried now. Clover and Sam will be walking into a trap, and she has no way of warning them, seeing the guard destroyed her compowder! She also has no way of getting free, as she can't reach her laser lipstick!


	8. Chapter 8 The Hunters Become The Hunted

**Chapter 8 – The Hunters become The Hunted**

Clover and Sam lock in on Alex's last GPS position. They quickly land their jet/copter and cycle over to the tunnel she apparently dug.

"Ok, Clover, let's go! But be careful! They may be waiting for us!"

"Right, Sam."

Cautiously the gals follow Alex's tunnel. They are soon in the main tunnel. Clover homes in on Alex's hair barrette, and the gals start moving toward her cell. Their every move is being watched on the security cameras.

"Good! They're heading straight for their friend! GUARDS! Be Ready!"

"Yes sir, Myster!"

The gals make their way to Alex's cell. They can see her bound, gagged, and blindfolded. Clover quickly lasers the lock on the door, as Sam acts as lookout. Soon the two gals are in the cell.

Clover removes Alex's blindfold and gag. Alex cries out "IT'S A TRAP!!!"

Soon the guards start to swarm into the cell, but they reckon not with the fighting skills of Clover and Sam. Sam nails two with hand stand kicks, while Clover hits two more with a flying kick! Alex is struggling to get free so she can help. But the gals are fighting a losing battle! Soon the three of them are surrounded by twenty guards, and the guards pick Clover and Sam up off their feet, rendering them helpless. Alex was not able to get free.

The guards cuff Sam and Clover, and grab Alex. All three are slung over a guards' shoulder and dropped like a sack of potatoes onto the electric tram. ("Ouch!" "Hey!" "Watch it!") They are going to see Myster.

The guards deposit the ladies is Myster's study. Once again he does not turn his chair to face them, as he begins his interrogation.

"So! You two must be Clover and Sam! Which one is which?" Myster asks.

"I'm Clover and you better let us go, or you'll be sorry!"

"Really! I doubt that! My guards have liberated you of your compact communicators and have destroyed them. You'll not be getting any reinforcements anytime soon! Now, why are you snooping in my operation?"

Sam tries the same ruse as Alex. "We're just local spelunkers….."

"OH PLEASE!" says Myster in exasperation, "Can't you come up with a better excuse? You're friend already tried that one before!"

The gals stop talking. They're not telling him anything.

"No response, eh? Very well! We'll move on to your destruction then! Guards! Take them to the vat!" With that, three guards enter the study, put a spy over their shoulder and put them on the tram. Next stop: the vat.


	9. Chapter 9 HELP!

**Chapter 9 – HELP!**

The guards take the spies to a large manufacturing area. There is a huge printing press hard at work printing money. The special paper stolen from Specialty Paper is being loaded, as the girls go by.

In the next area is a fairly large vat. The girls surmise this is their destination. A guard hits a button on a portable crane, moving it over the electric tram. The girls are attached to the crane, under the shoulder blades, via rope. They dangle very uncomfortably by their armpits as the crane positions them over the vat. Myster chimes in over the intercom.

"All in position? Good!"

Sam speaks up, "Ok, Myster! We know you are counterfeiting money! What's your game?"

"Seeing you won't be around much longer, I'll tell you! I plan to flood the US monetary supply with phony money, always exchanging it for good money! Soon the government will have to pull back all bills, to clean out the phony bills. Of course, I will be in the possession of nothing but real currency! Everyone will lose some money in the deal, except me! I will control the US economy and will become fabulously rich!"

"And you'll get away with this because……"

"Who is going to stop me? Who will have the resources to stop me? Even the government will have to come to ME for cash! And, of course, I will use shell corporations to keep my identity hidden! My plan is foolproof!

"As is my plan for your demise! You have probably gotten a slight burning sensation in your nostrils, hanging over that vat. That's the vat of acid we use to create our engraving plates! It should dissolve you three in a matter of minutes!"

"But how can you change the quantities of delivered paper in the computers?" asks Alex. The gals want to keep asking questions. The guards did not take away their laser lipsticks, and they need a bit more time to cut their cuffs. Myster, like most egomaniacal criminals, can't pass up a chance to explain how 'brilliant' he and his plans are!

"Quite simple, really," responds Myster. "I am a computer genius! It was mere child's play to hack into the computers of the paper company, trucking company, and Mint and change the quantities so they agree. Because no human being intervenes, everyone trusts the computers! I just make the computers tell the companies what I want them to know, thereby covering my tracks! No hard copy is available to refute the computer! All corporations want to be 'paperless'. Thanks to that, I can get away with this!"

"How do you get the inks to shift?" asks Clover, as she is almost done cutting through her cuffs.

"Simple. I observed the process development at the Mint! I just copied it!"

"But your inks smear a little!" replies Alex, as she also is almost done cutting through her cuffs.

"Unfortunately, the ink company used by the Mint has not embraced 'paperless', much to the government's and my consternation. I am unable to use them. They still rely on hard copy data, so I can't easily manipulate their documents! But that will change soon! The government is using 'paperless' as a criteria for future contracts! So the ink manufacturer will either have to step in line, or lose the contract next year!"

"How do you create the hologram?" asks Sam. She has already finished cutting her restraints, as have the rest of the spies. But she wants closure of all items.

"Again, I observed the process development at the Mint and I copied it!

"Now if there are no further questions, it's time to go!" The crane starts to lower the spies, but they swing the lanyard until it is past the lip of the vat! They then jump down on the guards!

"GUARDS! STOP THEM!" screams Myster.

But the gals have room to maneuver this time! Sam is using side kicks and hand stand swing kicks to take the guards down. Clover is using front kicks and jump kicks, and Alex is using roundhouse kicks and hard karate chops! Soon all the guards are unconscious. The gals make a beeline to the printing press – the workers scatter, but are easily subdued by the spies.

"How do we stop this thing?" asks Clover.

"Leave it to me!" says Sam, as she attaches a glass hose to the discharge faucet of the acid vat. Taking the hose over to the printing press, she sprays the press inside and out with the acid. Within minutes the machine is a metallic blob!

"Now for Myster!" she says as the three gals go running down the tunnel to Myster's study. Alex kicks open the door and the three gals run to Myster's chair and swing it around so they can finally see their adversary's face. But they are in for a major surprise! The chair is empty save for a mannequin arm in a dress shirt sleeve and sport coat sleeve. "What the…..?" says Sam.

Soon they hear the laugh of Myster.

"Did you three really think I was in that study? I'm much smarter than that! Not even the workers or the guards have ever seen me!" The gals trace the voice to a speaker in the chair.

"Then why did they so blindly obey you?" asks Alex.

"Greed! Obviously if I got rich, so did they! But you've foiled my plan this time! I'm sure we'll meet again, girls! Until then, au revoir!" and the room starts to rumble.

"Quick! Get out of here! Now!" yells Sam. The three spies run out of the room, but it's all of the tunnels that are shaking! They are collapsing! The gals quickly run to the tunnel Alex dug and just get in as all the tunnels collapse! Luckily the guards and workers recovered from their thrashing to escape the collapse as well! Myster has destroyed all the evidence that could implicate him!

Slowly the girls start to crawl out of the tunnel.

Closing in on the surface, Sam says under her breath, "Yes, Myster! We will meet again! And we'll open a big can of butt WOOHP on you next time!"

At the surface, they are greeted by a very concerned Jerry. Having not heard from them, Jerry traced their whereabouts by the homing beacon in their hair barrettes.

"Ladies, are you all right?" he asks with obvious concern. He heard the tunnels collapsing and feared that the gals were trapped below.

"Yes, Jerry, we are. I wish we could have gotten Myster!" says Sam.

"Who's Myster?" asks Jerry.

"He's the mastermind behind the whole operation," says Alex as she, Clover and Sam fill Jerry in on the plot.

"I see," says Jerry. "I think we'd better talk with the paper company, truckline, and Mints concerning their 'paperless' records. It appears they do need some in hard copy to protect themselves in the future!"

WOOHP does talk to the various organizations. They re-institute paper-backed counts and faxing of verification information. This plot won't work in the future.


	10. Chapter 10 Back To Normal

**Chapter 10 – Back to Normal**

For the gals, the case lasted through the weekend – they missed out on the sale!

"Great! We spend a weekend saving the economy, and we miss the biggest sale of the year!" grouses Clover at school Monday.

"I know, Clover! But think how expensive everything would have been if Myster's plan had succeeded!" says Sam soothingly.

"You're right, Sam! But it just doesn't seem fair!"

All of the sudden, Alex approaches the gals. She has three envelopes in her hand.

"Hey girlfriends! Jerry asked me to deliver these to you!" Alex hands an envelope to Sam and to Clover.

"What's in these?" asks Clover.

"I don't know! I haven't opened mine yet! Jerry asked that we open them together!"

The gals look at one another with quizzical looks on their faces and open the envelopes. The contents bring big smiles to their faces.

"LOOK! These are purchase cards good for $500 at the Mall!" squeals Clover with delight.

"And they're good at any store!" adds a happy Sam.

"We may have missed the sale, but this is WAY better!" says an exuberant Alex.

There is a note in the envelopes from Jerry, which reads:

"Sorry you had to miss the sale at the Mall. Hopefully these purchase cards can properly show my appreciation for the fine job you did on the last mission!

Enjoy!

/s/ Jerry"

The gals all pull out their new compowders and call Jerry.

"Yes, ladies?"

"Jerry! You rock! Thank you!" says Sam.

"Totally! Thanks, Jer!" says Clover.

"You're the best, Jerry!" adds Alex.

"Well, I'm glad you like the gifts. Enjoy! By the way spies, confidentially, I know there is going to be a 50 percentoff sale this Saturday only, as a Mall appreciation day! It won't be advertised!"

"WOW!" exclaims a happy Alex.

"Thanks, Jerry!" says a happy Sam.

"You rule!!" says a happy Clover.

The gals eagerly look forward to this upcoming weekend! Saturday should be fantastic! $500 each to spend, and 50 percentoff – it's like they died and went to heaven!


End file.
